One Year
by SoaringHellButterfly
Summary: It's been lonely, it's been hard, but she somehow manages to still smile. She misses him so much, but the hope never dies that he'll come home soon. HitsuMatsu. Rated T.


Yo! It was snowing outside and i got to thinking about some stuff, and then this story popped into my mind. Inspiration can pop up anywhere. But my parents did help with inspiration as well.

My dad used to be in the Navy, which meant he left home a lot and my mom always missed him terribly. I'm sure some of you can understand that, missing someone you love when they're away. So I'd like to dedicate this story to those who have or are going through that. Enjoy!

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**_One Year_**

Snowflakes fell softly outside, each little flurry different from the last. The Lady Hitsugaya watched calmly from her chair as the snow continued to fall, a gentle smile on her face. The window was starting to cloud with frost, the bottom beginning to cover as snow built up on the ledge outside.

_Reminds me of the last Christmas we spent together..._ She thinks idly, her hand coming up to cup her chin, her elbow supporting her on the desk. Rangiku can't help but envy snowflakes, the way they touch the heavens before descending down to touch the Earth, grouping together to form a cloud of white on the ground.

It was unusual though to have snow after Valentine's Day. Even if it was Winter still, Soul Society rarely got snow after Christmas, yet it wasn't unappreciated. The snow somehow made everything calm. Even if it did remind her of him every time she saw it.

The bright fluffy white substance reminded her so much of his hair, it gave her the sudden urge to run her fingers through it. The sparkle that was made whenever the light touched it just right, reminded her so much of his beautiful eyes. A soft sigh escaped her lips, her eyes saddening some. The familiar clench at her heart started again, and it moved to the pit of her stomach. She missed him terribly.

It has been one year since she has last seen her husband.

Rangiku knows he's alive and well, judging from the reports he always sends back every few weeks. But the constant fear still hangs over her heart, even with the words _"I love you and we'll see each other again soon" _he signs at the end of every report she gets.

It's been so long now that she's almost starting to lose faith in those words. But he never makes promises he can't keep, so she believes that he will keep this one and come home soon.

Toshiro had been assigned to a mission, just about a week after Valentine's Day. Rangiku had been against it and even tried to get someone else to go in his place, but no one would go. Hitsugaya had been the noble one and agreed to take the mission - Which she was still mad about even after a year - all the while promising Rangiku that he'd be back in no time at all.

This mission he was assigned on though, was one Rangiku never imagined they'd give to a Taicho.

It was a mission that required a shinigami (Seated preferably) to roam the World of the Living, helping lost souls and slaying hollows they pass. It was a mission that was hardly ever assigned, and only assigned when a sudden rise in hollow attacks in different parts of the Earth occurred. It was a mission that took an unknown period of time. The longest one being twenty-three long years.

And Hitsugaya Toshiro was the one chosen to go on this mission.

Rangiku had always wondered why they didn't just send multiple shinigami to go instead of just one. It would've been done quicker, which is what she wanted most, and less amount of souls would be hurt. Buy alas, no one had an answer to that, or an intention to change what had been done.

She was indeed aggravated and turbulent with the news that her husband had to be sent away for an unknown period of time. The idea of being alone scared her more than anything else.

Hitsugaya had married her promising never to leave her, or let her be alone again. Now he was forced to break that promise... But he had a different way of putting it.

_"I'm not breaking my promise. I won't be like Ichimaru. I'll always let you know where I'm going, I'll always tell you I'm coming back. And I'll always tell you I love you..." _Those words were accompanied by many kisses and soft caresses, every bit as reassuring as his words.

That had been her biggest fear, being left alone again. Gin had made a nasty habit of always leaving, never saying where he was going, never saying when he'd be back, never assuring her of anything. Toshiro had understood that, and never let her feel that way even while he was away.

In his reports, he explains to her his journeys; The places he's seen, the souls he's met and saved, the hollows he's slain. He always mentions how much he'd love to bring her to all these places, show her how beautiful and peaceful they are, and how he'd love to share the feelings he gets with her. Rangiku only imagines how many places around the world he's visited now.

Toshiro always has an interesting way of explaining everything, and it makes her feel like she can instantly picture it in her head as she reads. And he never failed to surprise her as he sent back things from places he's visited.

Some of those things included a summer kimono that she added to her collection, that and other interesting clothing from different countries. Toshiro may not be high on fashion, but Rangiku never said or thought 'I hate this' to anything he sent back.

But her favorite souvenir he sent back, had to be the beautiful snow globe thingy he got from a place called Paris, France.

They were probably doing it for Chinese New Years or something, but the snow globe held a gorgeous blue dragon inside. It was amazingly hand-crafted, and set in the center, and appeared to be spiraling it's body along an ice mountain. The base that supported the globe, was decorated to look like a plain of ice and snow. He said it had reminded him so much of Hyourinmaru that he thought it was only right to get it. Rangiku never mocked his purchase.

But the thing about the snow globe that she probably liked most, was the French inscription written on the snowy base in golden lettering. Toshiro explained that it was translated to mean, _'My promises are as unbreakable as the strongest ice'_.

Rangiku always remembered that as she waited for him to return home. There were times when she felt she could make it, and face the world head on. And there were times when she felt so alone that she would cry in the solitude of her home.

To shinigami, one year is really not that long. But to Rangiku, that one year felt like an eternity.

Saying goodbye had not been easy either, it never was easy to say goodbye. In fact Rangiku wasn't willing to, she had the delusional idea that she could somehow make him stay and never have to let him go.

But he had been planning on her acting like that, so he just let her believe she was winning him over with those tantalizing kisses and touches. He welcomed it even. If he was going to leave this wonderful woman he at least wanted to enjoy her as much as he could before going away. So it was his quiet way of saying goodbye to her, as they intertwined intimately and never let the other go.

That next morning though, she had found herself naked and alone in their bed, with nothing but a note on his pillow. Rangiku still hasn't forgiven him for leaving like that, but she also never stops hearing those words he wrote and the end of that note, and the same words he writes at the end of every letter.

_"I love you and we'll see each other again soon"_

Toshiro knew how much she hated goodbyes, so he didn't make her say it. Instead he left her with a promise that he would come back, that it was only goodbye for now.

Before she knew it, a whole year had gone by, and still no sign or word that he would return home to her. She hasn't received a letter or report from him in over three weeks, so she begins to worry, but she tries not to let it get the better of her. His promise still keeps her strong, and makes her believe he's okay.

Evening has turned into very early morning, as she goes home for the evening. As she steps on the lovely white snow, Rangiku can still picture him walking beside her. It was like an instant replay of the last time they walked together in the snow. Or like a silhouette or a vision, or maybe a hallucination from her desperate need to see him. It wouldn't surprise her in the least. She always welcomed any chance to see him.

The Hitsugaya home always seemed dark and quiet when she came home. It felt so empty and hollow; no shouts of anger, no laughter, no soft, gentle calls of her name, no nothing. She had almost forgotten those wonderful sounds, almost forgotten his voice.

Rangiku doesn't bother to turn on lights, or cook a meal for dinner, she's too tired to do anything but sleep. A good night sleep would be most appreciated, since she hasn't had one in quite a while...

She opens her - _their_ - bedroom door and steps in, closing the door silently. She walks to the dresser over by the bathroom door, and begins to take out her sleeping clothes. Rangiku lets out a tired yawn, her hands moving robotically as they dug through the drawer.

It isn't until her eyes noticed a shadow move in the mirror sitting on the dresser, that she realized she was not alone like she thought...

Rangiku turned around, a breathless gasp escaping her lips.

There, sitting on the bed, with a deep emotional look in his eyes, was her husband.

It was as if time had stopped, as they stared at each other, neither moving. Their eyes closely studied one another, taking in every single detail and admiring what they had missed. It felt like forever before he finally spoke, blessing her ears once again with the sound of his wonderful voice.

"They finally gave me the okay to come home... I came as fast as my legs could take me." His voice was so hypnotizing to her she barely registered what she said. The beautiful melody of his voice that she had missed so much, it all felt like another dream.

Rangiku hesitated, her feet wanting to move towards him but her body felt frozen in place. Toshiro made no move to get up either, as if he was feeling the same. Finally, she was able to stride across the room, in slow steady steps.

She was standing in front of him now, gazing down into the luminous teal eyes staring up at her. Rangiku lifted her hand, wanting so desperately to touch him, to make sure he was real and not some hallucination. Her heart would surely break if he was. Her slightly shaking came into contact with his cheek, and suddenly there was not a single doubt in her mind anymore.

He was really home...

Toshiro sighed deeply and leaned into her touch, his hand coming up to cover hers. He pressed her hand closer, inhaling the sweet scent of her wrist, his lips lightly brushing over her pulse.

Rangiku gently pulled her hand away, only to wrap her arms around his neck and bring him closer so that his head was against her chest. The ticklish feeling of his hair against her chin was so comforting, his scent drifting all around her and made her so calm. Her fingers slowly caressed through his unruly white locks, the softness hadn't changed one bit.

She felt him let out a content sigh, his hot breath tickling her neck and raising goosebumps on her skin. Toshiro's arms came up and wrapped tightly around her waist, locking in place like steel girders and unwilling to part.

His name came out in a whisper, as she buried her nose in his hair, her fingers wandering all over. Toshiro's fists gripped her shihakusho tightly, the urge to tear the material growing stronger with every second he stayed in his wife's embrace.

"I've missed you so much..." Came his slightly-muffled murmur, his face buried in her breasts from the nose down. Rangiku smiled, the urge to cry rising. It was too good to be true that he was actually here in her arms. It seemed any second now she'd opened her eyes and find out this was all a wonderful dream.

But as he tugged on a lock of her hair, forcing her head down so he could lock lips with her, she realized that this was a dream she never wanted to wake up from...

Toshiro's lips were gentle against hers at first, and the electricity that shocked Rangiku through his kiss was a feeling she missed most. It had been so long since she had kissed him, she had almost forgot what he could do with his tongue. It sought out hers and they twisted and played together in a little reunion of their own.

Toshiro leaned back, taking Rangiku with him as they fell gracefully onto the bed. She sat up, straddling herself on top of him. He stared up at her with a lusty look that she absolutely loved, his hands gripping her hips.

She placed her hands on the bed, on either side of his head, and leaned over him. They stared at each other for several moments, Rangiku resting her forehead against his. Toshiro's hand lifted from her waist, coming up to gently caress her cheek, before it slid into her hair.

"I love you." After he said that, there was no stopping the passion that had been yearning to be released.

Anything outside that bedroom wasn't important anymore, there could've been a war going on outside and neither would've noticed nor cared. The only thing that mattered was being as close to the other as possible.

Even though they were desperate for the other's touch, they took it slow. Every touch, every caress, every kiss was like new, it was almost like their first time all over again. Neither one had change yet the love they were sharing was something new, and they greedily took it all in, and kept asking for more. Not once did they let each other go, not once did the contact break.

There was no need to talk, nothing needed to be said that hadn't already. Talking was for later, now was the time to enjoy being together again.

Toshiro was gentle with every move he made, yet at the same time he made Rangiku quiver and whimper in pleasure beneath him. He wouldn't let her do anything but enjoy, he would make love to her and show her how much he really missed her.

Rangiku couldn't remember a time when she held onto him so tightly, so tight she could barely breathe but could care less because she only wanted him closer. It was pure bliss when they reached over the edge together and then remained tangled together in love and comfort in each other's arms.

They were still silent for a while. He let out a tired sigh and then yawned, he seemed as if he hadn't had a good night sleep in forever. Before sleep could overcome either of them, Rangiku let out a quiet, content whisper to her lover.

"Welcome home, Toshiro..."

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And that's the story. Hoped you enjoyed it. I was keeping the T rating, but i gave as much detail as i could. Not really in the mood to write a lemon right now, maybe later. I get the feeling i might've repeated myself too much, but when i read it over, it looked good. I'll let you be the judges. Thanks for reading this sort-of Valentine's Special. Keep reading and reviewing you guys! Until next time!

LATERZ!!! SoaringHellButterfly.


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